Troy

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Troy / troi/ 1. (in Homeric legend) the city of King Priam, besieged for ten years by the Greeks during the Trojan War. It was regarded as having been a purely legendary city until Heinrich Schliemann identified the mound of Hissarlik on the northeast Aegean coast of Turkey as the site of Troy. The city was apparently sacked and destroyed by fire in the mid 13th century bc, a period coinciding with the Mycenaean civilization of Greece. Also called Ilium.2. a residential and commercial city in southeastern Michigan; pop. 80,959.3. an industrial city in eastern New York, on the Hudson and Mohawk rivers, northeast of Albany; pop. 49,170.

Troy

views updated Jun 11 2018

Troy ★★½ 2004 (R)

Petersen's epic telling of the Trojan War finally hit the screen after many delays (including Pitt injuring his Achilles tendon, oh the irony!) and budgetbusting incidents. Merely inspired by Homer's “The Iliad,” it dispenses with all those pesky Greek gods and makes it all about the warriors. When beautiful Helen (Kruger) flees her Spartan husband Menaleus (Gleeson) with prettyboy lover Paris (Bloom), her greedy brotherinlaw Agamemnon (Cox) decides Troy's wealth is worth a little fighting. Arrogant Achilles (Pitt) is persuaded to join in, and while Paris is no fighter, big brother Hector (Bana) is. Naturally, Achilles and Hector will have to go manoamano (in one of the film's best scenes). Also around to show those youngsters what acting's all about is O'Toole as aging King Priam. It's all handled professionally but it's just not terribly compelling. 162m/C DVD, Bluray Disc, HD DVD . GB Brad Pitt, Orlando Bloom, Eric Bana, Peter O'Toole, Diane Kruger, Brendan Gleeson, Brian Cox, Sean Bean, Julian Glover, Julie Christie, Saffron Burrows, John Shrapnel, James Cosmo, Rose Byrne, Garrett Hedlund, Nathan Jones, Vincent Regan, Trevor Eve, Tyler Mane; D: Wolfgang Petersen; W: David Benioff; C: Roger Pratt; M: James Horner.

Troy

views updated Jun 11 2018

Troy in Homeric legend, the city of King Priam, besieged for ten years by the Greeks during the Trojan War. It was regarded as having been a purely legendary city until the German archaeologist Heinrich Schliemann (1822–90) identified the mound of Hissarlik on the NE Aegean coast of Turkey as the site of Troy. Excavations showed the mound to be composed of nine main strata, dating from the early Bronze Age to the Roman era. The stratum known as Troy VIIa is believed to be that of the Homeric city; the city was apparently sacked and destroyed by fire in the mid 13th century bc, a period coinciding with the Mycenaean civilization of Greece.

Troy

views updated May 18 2018

Troy (Ilium) Ancient city at what is now Hissarlik, Turkey, familiar chiefly through Homer's Iliad. Archaeological excavation, begun by Heinrich Schliemann in the 1870s, suggests that the legend of the Trojan War may be based on an actual episode. Nine cities have been detected in the archaeological strata, dating from c.3000 bc and reaching a peak in Troy VI (c.1800–1300 bc). Troy VI was ruined by an earthquake. Its successor, Troy VIIA, was destroyed, apparently by enemy attack, c.1200 bc, close to the legendary date of the fall of Troy.

troy

views updated Jun 11 2018

troy / troi/ (in full troy weight) • n. a system of weights used mainly for precious metals and gems, with a pound of 12 ounces or 5,760 grains.Compare with avoirdupois.

troy

views updated May 18 2018

troy system of weights used or precious stones and metals. XIV. orig. in phrs. marc. de troye, pound of troye; said to be taken from a weight used at the fair of Troyes, in France.

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Troy